Shadow care?/Backup OB Kingwood, TX

[jht]

We are planning a HBvbac.
I feel like if I could alleviate my two biggest concerns about a vbac at home, then I would be able to relax and have a better chance at delivering at home.

I'm worried about knowing when/if to transport. My midwife is very good at re-assuring me about the clinical signs. But that plays into my second worry; if we do have to transport - I've heard horror stories about women who attempt HB getting "butchered" (sorry for the word choice - that is the word that stuck in my mind after reading) because they don't know the OB attending or more likely b/c the OB doesn't agree with their decision to try a HB or a VBAC. (My midwife does not have a backup OB).

Through the ICAN chapter, I've heard about shadow care; where a woman sees an OB and a midwife in order to have a smooth back up just in case. I've heard great things about Memorial Hermann Hospital and St Lukes and mixed reviews about Kingwood Hospital, which is the closest to us.

Does anyone have an opinion about Shadow Care?
Are there any OBs in Kingwood that willingly participate in Shadow Care?
Are there any OBs in Kingwood that are semi-vbac friendly?
Or, I guess if we got to that point, I would just need an OB who was friendly Is it immoral to go to an OB and not tell them of external midwife plans?
And last but not least - any doula recommendations for the Kingwood area?

[EMandM]

My OB knows about my homebirth plans, and she is going to do shadow care for me. I'm not sure if she would be supportive of a homebirth VBAC, or VBAC period, but it doesn't hurt to ask. PM me if you want her name. She is FANTASTIC!!

[Sk8ermaiden]

I am doing this with my next one for sure. We were treated SO horribly by the hospital and they held my baby hostage in the NICU. I am leaning strongly towards Dr Guilliams at West Houston (not close to you, sorry) because of his relationship with my midwife.

I don't think it is bad not to tell an OB of your plans. To me it is a necessity in the environment Houston has created around birth. If I knew/suspected an OB would accept or even tolerate me going for a HB, I would tell though - it's just better all round.

[mom2annika]

No specific recommendations here, but...there is a "New Mom Support Group" at Merry Go Round consignment store (which is also My Little Juel lactation support) that you might find a good resource. Saturday mornings 10:30 am, on Woodland Hills Drive here in Kingwood.

Congrats on your expected little one and good luck!!

[allical1284]

Originally Posted by mom2annika

No specific recommendations here, but...there is a "New Mom Support Group" at Merry Go Round consignment store (which is also My Little Juel lactation support) that you might find a good resource. Saturday mornings 10:30 am, on Woodland Hills Drive here in Kingwood.

Congrats on your expected little one and good luck!!

I already bullied her into coming to the group on Wednesday! I told her MGR is where all the cool moms in Kingwood are hanging out!

[ShwarmaQueen]

Originally Posted by jht

Does anyone have an opinion about Shadow Care?

IMO, it's just another way to plant seeds of doubt in your morale. VBACing is already more difficult and following standard OB care is probably going to be a constant bombardment of arbitrary timelines, bad u/s measurements with accompanying scare tactics, etc.

Are there any OBs in Kingwood that are semi-vbac friendly?
Or, I guess if we got to that point, I would just need an OB who was friendly

I can tell you who's NOT for sure; at 7 weeks I got asked to schedule my rc/s. I couldn't get any good recs for VBAC-friendly and I asked all the moms I knew who'd had c/s. They all said their OBs insisted on scheduled rc/s as the 'safest'.

Is it immoral to go to an OB and not tell them of external midwife plans?

OBs are infamous for promising one thing then changing, so no...